


Out of My League

by Butterly5614



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Angst?????, DNF, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Inspired by Music, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sad?, Songfic, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, billiardsAU, dreamnotfound, ghostnap, is this really angst???, it kinda good?, no beta we die like men, possiblekarlnap???, shitpost?, this was supposed to be a shitpost?, why is it good?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:09:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29492604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Butterly5614/pseuds/Butterly5614
Summary: Watching his best friends fall in love wasn’t the plan afterwards.It wasn’t the plan before, but things change.A friendly game of 8 ball with a stranger wasn’t supposed to turn Sapnap and Dream’s lives upside down. Neither was a midnight drive.After the incident, Sapnap finds himself coming back to the world as a ghost, meant to watch over his best friends as they grow closer and closer. His ability to feel and understand them more than he ever could alive gives him the chance to help them both recover from the loss with a new way of loving.With Sapnap’s help, hopefully the first break shot can pocket a few balls in the game of love. But not the eight ball just yet.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF)
Kudos: 8





	1. Break Shots

"Come on, dude, we've been here for hours."  
"Just one more," Sapnap knocked back a glass, taking a moment to process the alcohol content.  
His friend rolled his eyes, shoving him, "It is literally 2:00 in the morning. I swear--"  
"One game," he cut him off, knowing his best friend couldn't resist a challenge, "If you win, we'll go home, no questions asked."

He saw the softest twinkle in Dream's green eyes, the spark of competitiveness shining more brightly than the lamps above the bar. Sapnap reached over to grab the nearest house cues, handing the other one to Dream. The wooden pool stick was curved and warped beyond repair, but it was all they had for the moment.

They had been playing at Doyle's Corner for two years now. Dream had been playing pool since he was a kid, learning from his dad. Sapnap just happened to be the annoying kid next door. They became best friends after a rogue incident involving a baseball, his dog, and three neighborhood cats. Going to college in New York as roommates was one of the best decisions the two of them ever made (besides pranking the middle school bullies that lived a few blocks down the road).

Sapnap turned back around, realizing that Dream had already racked the balls for their next game. They were set up in a pattern: stripes, solids, stripes, solids.

"You break, you've always been better at it than I have." Dream said, shrugging as he put away the triangle and chalked up his stick.

He grinned in response, getting down on the shot. The cue ball hit the set triangle with a satisfying CLICK. He managed to knock a few into the pockets. Dream shook his head with a soft laugh, brushing back his blond hair as he stood up straighter.

"You know I'm better at breaking than you are," he teased, preparing for his next shot.  
"Shut the fuck up and hit the ball."

The game continued for longer than expected. The one game soon turned into two. Then three. Then seven. At this point, Sapnap had taken one shot too many, and Dream had more than he usually did. They were so absorbed by the pool table that Sapnap barely noticed a new figure entering the pub.

He turned, somewhat intrigued by whoever could be up at 4:30 in the morning in New York. The man looked just as tall as he was, with a lanky build and a pool stick case thrown over his shoulder. As dream took his next few shots, Sapnap sipped his beer, staring at the newcomer. Dark hair, pale face. And an odd air of poshness. He watched him set up his own pool stick, rack the balls, and take a break shot, all with the calmest composure of anyone he had seen in a bar.

He nudged Dream softly as he regained composure, "Hey, check out that guy. He's probably better than you."  
"No way, I've been playing since I was in diapers." His friend muttered back, glaring at the young man.  
He shrugged, putting down the can, "I dunno, look at him." Sapnap glanced up, shifting his position in the chair as he watched Dream continuously run a hand through his hair, "He looks very...professional."

Despite the fact that there were only the three of them in the bar (besides the bartender), the other pool player didn't even bother to look over at the pair. They paused their game to study him, half out of curiosity, half out of boredom. Sapnap finished his drink, slamming the can back down on the nearest table. He stood from his seat, clutching his house cue. Sapnap made his way over to the other pool table across the bar, stumbling every few seconds. He could almost feel Dream's piercing glares burning holes into the back of his head.

Now that he was closer, he could get a better look at the stranger's face. Brown eyes. Dark, flat hair, barely swept to one side. Pointed face with barely a wisp of a beard. However, he was correct about the height; he looked as tall as he was.

The young man must have noticed Sapnap walking towards him, because he looked up after making the 10 ball into the corner pocket, nearly ending whatever game he was playing with himself. He raised a pointed eyebrow, and Sapnap offered a hand.

"Hi," he began plainly.  
The stranger's expression changed from confusion to shock, as if he couldn't believe someone had the audacity to speak to him mid-game, "Hello."

Sapnap was caught off guard by the sound of his voice. His accent wasn't a New York one, rather British. He could almost hear Dream's voice shouting in his head. What are you doing?, it said, outraged. He held back a chuckle, knowing it was exactly how he'd react after this next move.

"So, uh, my friend and I saw you playing and figured you might want a more fun opponent." he continued rambling, "You seem like a really good player, and we thought practicing with someone better would be interesting." Sapnap paused, realizing he had never introduced himself, "I'm Nick, by the way."  
"George," the young man finally shook the hand he extended.

He quickly glanced over his shoulder to see Dream's expression. Pale with a beet-red blush quickly spreading across his cheeks. He turned back to George with a smile.

"So... whadaya you say?"  
He watched George glance over his shoulder at Dream, who now appeared to be taking a few more shots to hide his embarrassment. Sapnap could almost see the cogs turning in his head as he calculated whether or not to play pool with two random strangers in a bar. He winced at himself, only now realizing how awkward this situation was.

From the uncomfortable silence, a somewhat exasperated and intrigued response came, "Sure, why not?"

_______

"Oh, you missed! You missed!"  
"Shut up! You gave me a bad angle!"

Sapnap laughed, staring at them as they played a game of 8 ball. It was their fourth game of the night, due to Dream's stubbornness and refusal to lose. George was suffering the consequences of the terrible positioning of his last shot, leaving him trapped between a stripe and the 8 ball itself. Rather than banking the 6 off the side, he managed to knock the 11 into the corner pocket, giving Dream ball in hand.

He took a sip of his third can of beer, feeling the condensation forming on the metal drip down his hand. He was taking a break from playing with the two of them, tired of continuously losing cutthroat billiards and tired of watching them argue over whether a shot was legal or not.

Sapnap found himself staring at his best friend. Having known him for years, he could tell when something changed about him. Dream was so easy to read, like an open book. The bar lights made it difficult to see, but he was quite certain that a blush was spreading over his face. He kept running a hand through his hair, knowing that he only did that when he was nervous or embarrassed. And the third thing: his posture. Rather than being slightly slouched, Dream stood taller, rubbing the back of his neck every few seconds. The rather crazed smile he wore gave a little more information than he needed to find out the truth.

Sapnap held back a giggle. He stood up, clasping a hand on Dream's shoulder. He and George continued to argue.

"NO, that was definitely a good break!" Dream protested, gripping his pool stick.  
George's eyes grew wide, "The 3 ball is barely past the line! You can't possibly call that legal!"

Sapnap could tell they weren't really mad about the game. The smiles George kept trying to conceal told him everything. He wanted an excuse to talk to him. They both wanted an excuse to talk. He shook his head, chuckling.

"Come on, Dream. It's so late."  
"Dream?" He turned to George, who raised an eyebrow, "Isn't your name Clay?"

And suddenly, he couldn't hold it back anymore. The laughter poured from him as he clutched his stomach. He could almost hear Dream's eyes roll as tears of joys poured from his.

"It's just a stupid nickname," he heard him mutter, "From when we were teenagers."  
"Oh? And what's the story behind it?" George asked, as they cleaned up.  
Sapnap finally regained his composure, "Oh my god, you wouldn't believe it, this guy—"  
"I'm telling this story, if you don't mind."  
"You always tell it wrong," he sang, continuing, "He was known as everyone's—cough—dream guy. Teachers loved him, straight A's, captain of the swim team, president of several clubs, you know? Everyone called him that behind his back, and it became a huge joke and—"  
Dream glared at him, "And the rest is irrelevant."  
"Don't cut me off," Sapnap shot him the dirtiest look he could muster, "I think they even got it on his letterman jacket. Anyway, everyone forgot about it after, like, two years, but the nickname stuck for me."  
"Okay, that's not what happened."  
"You wanna mention how people started moaning it down the hallways?"  
"NO! Well you just did. Sapnap, I swear—"

Everything he had said was true. Dream was the popular kid in high school. Sapnap knew. He grew up with him. Dream had basically taken him in. He had fonder memories of them at his house rather than his own.

Yet he never really resented him for it. He may have joked about it a couple of times, but he never really meant it. He knew that the spotlight wasn't always for him, but seeing his best friend shine made him happy. Being with other people had made him so happy. Leaving nice notes in his friends' lockers between classes or helping the freshmen and the sophomores study for the harder classes made him happy. Chatting with teachers about how their days went made him happy.

Sapnap would tease him that he cared more about everyone else, but he knew that his friend didn't think he didn't deserve what he had. He knew that when Dream interacted with other people, he would realize that he deserved all the good things in life. And he would smile the most genuine smile and laugh before moving on to do the next good thing in the world.

The smile on his face was something he hadn't seen since high school.

The smile he wore right now, standing across a pool table from someone they had met a few hours ago, arguing about shots and plays, was it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! How's your day going? I'm glad to say that I'm not dead, and I'm back to writing, thanks to the support of you guys and my real life friends.
> 
> This is first DNF fanfic. I don't actually ship them and this was originally a shitpost. If cc's are uncomfortable, I'll take it down.
> 
> I'm excited to see what you guys think so far.


	2. Pictures

"I can't believe you actually found his Insta." Sapnap said, lightly shoving Dream as he tempted to cover his phone.  
He rolled his eyes, "I was curious."  
"He gave you his number." He shifted positions in his chair before standing, "Move over, I want to see."

They scrolled through his Instagram. Pictures of George playing pool came up first. Short clips and videos did too. Other than that, there wasn't much else. He had about twenty posts in total.

The evening before ended with a few more shared drinks, a last game of pool, and a drunken walk back to their apartment. Sapnap's head was pounding, and he was coming to the conclusion that he had just a bit too much to drink.

"God, you're such a creep." Sapnap teased, "Stalking his Insta."  
Without looking up from the phone screen, Dream fired back, "Says the one who talked to a random stranger in a bar, drunk as hell, at four in the morning, to play pool."  
"Touché."

Sapnap smiled, knowing that Dream would forever hate him for what he was about to do. He reached over, tackling his best friend as he snatched the phone from his hands. He stood up rushing to the other side of the room to buy himself some time, and liked George's most recent post from last week.

It was just a short video of him laughing after badly missing an easy shot. He had to admit his laugh was kind of contagious.

"SAPNAP! Holy shit, what are you doing?" he could hear Dream shouting from the bedroom and running down the hallway.  
"Nothing!" he yelled back, sitting in the kitchen, "Don't worry about it!"  
"I swear if you do something stupid, I will--"  
"Don't swear, Dreamy, it's not healthy."

Sapnap was sitting down at one of the chairs in their apartment kitchen as Dream had caught up with him. He threw his phone back at him. Dream barely caught it, and sent a suspicious and confused side eye Sapnap's way.

"What did you do?" he muttered, aggressively scrolling through his phone.  
"Nothing much. If you get a DM later, you can thank me." he answered, absentmindedly running a hand through his dirty blond hair.  
"Oh my god," came Dream's frightened reply, "You're so dumb," he muttered as a blush redder than the Solo cups sitting on the counter behind him spread across his cheeks.  
"Just unlike the post then." Sapnap pulled out his own phone to look through.  
"I can't, that's just rude."  
"That's on you then."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Sapnap looked over the edge of his phone to see Dream pacing anxiously and then falling onto the cushions of their couch. He could see the wheels turning in his friend's mind, looking as though he was trying to make the best of the rather awkward situation. The blush was still spread across his face, and Sapnap chuckled to himself.

He would have given anything to know what George was thinking at this exact moment. Judging from Dream's reaction, there must be something special about him. Something that made him special to Dream. He played out the different scenarios in his head.

One, George could see that Dream liked his post and realize that he was looking through his socials. Then possibly message him just to chat.

Two, he doesn't think anything of the like.

Three, he doesn't want to speak to Dream after seeing someone he barely knew look through his Instagram and accidentally like a post.

He pushed the third one from his mind. Surely George had the decency to laugh.

"Screw you, I'm gonna take a walk." He heard his best friend mumble under his breath, pulling Sapnap from his thoughts.  
He grinned, looking up from his rhythm of scrolling through Twitter, "Get us lunch while you're at it. I don't feel like cooking."  
"You're a terrible cook anyway."

Dream stood up and made his way to the door, throwing on a hat, gloves, and puffy coat, "What do you want?"

Sapnap laughed to himself. After two years of living in New York, Dream still hadn't gotten used to its winters.

"Pizza sounds good," he responded, throwing his friend the keys that rested on the table  
next to him. Dream caught them with ease.  
"Wallet." He tossed over the wallet next to them, "Thanks. Anything else?"  
"I would really appreciate something to drink."  
"God, you're so needy."  
"See ya!" he shouted as he heard the door click shut.

Sapnap took the time to do some school work. He knew that Dream knew exactly what he wanted and didn't really worry about it. He groaned softly, hating the amount of math and numbers that came with computer science. He pulled out a pencil and notebook, figuring it was better to spend time solving equations on paper.

Amid the slight procrastination he suffered whilst struggling with calculus, he received a text. He glanced up at his phone, staring at the notification confusedly.

**HELP**

Sapnap picked up the phone, typing out a reply.

**?What's wrong**   
**They didn't have Pepsi? XD**

**Shut up, you're not funny.**   
**George is staNDING FIVE FEET AWAY FROM ME.**

Oh shit, he thought, beginning to type more fervently.

**?Did you say anything to him**

**NO**   
**And I'm not going to.**

Instead of receiving a text confirming whether or not his friend took action, Sapnap received a request to play 8ball on iMessage games. He rolled his eyes, pursing his lips.

**You have the audacity to send 8ball when you should be talking to him.**

He accepts the game, breaking up the pyramid of balls. Since he did not make one in a pocket, it switched to Dream's turn.

**HE'S COMING THIS WAY**   
**WHAT DO I SAY TO HIM**

**Stop texting me, dumbass**

**You probably look so nervous rn**   
**Just smile and wave**   
**It's gonna be fine**   
**:)**

The text bubble popped up for a few seconds, the three little dots pulsating. They faded, and Sapnap smiled. Dream was never nervous in situations like this one. This was a first for him, he supposed. He was calm and collected, but seeing him furiously text him for help was an odd feeling. At the same time, a very sweet one. Dream needed him. It was nice to be needed.

Maybe it was time for a change, he wondered. They have had each other's backs since they were kids, and Sapnap was perfectly content with that. Yet, something was missing. Maybe in this George guy, they could find another friend. Another part of them.

Despite the fact that they only met last night, something in them clicked. Like a spark.

No, nothing romantic. Just a spark.

Something kept telling him that they were meant to be in the bar that night.

He supposed that it was really fate. Or coincidence. Or chance.

Sapnap sat there, fiddling with the radio to play some music. He turned the dial, looking for anything he would enjoy to listen to. He sighed, giving up and letting whatever was playing now play as he cleaned up the red Solo cups on the kitchen counter.

Out of boredom and strong distaste for calculus, he continued to clean up their small New York apartment. He fixed up their beds, fluffing the pillows and tucking in the sides. The floor needed sweeping and the kitchen counters needed a wiping down. He had to wash the few dishes they owned.

He lifted the books off the shelf in their room to wipe under them. It hung above Dream's bed, which honestly made Sapnap nervous that one night, it would fall and crush his head. He stumbled with the old leather bound books and dropped a few.

"Oh crap," he cursed, trying his best to make sure the pages didn't fall out.

He wiped them quickly. What even were these books? They were untitled and bound with leather and string. The books looked better after he wiped off the thick layer of dust. Sapnap picked up the nearest one and flipped through it.

A small slip of paper fell out, landing on the carpeted floor of their apartment. He picked it up, examining the date scribbled on the back. July 12, 2009. Two kids stood on the deck of a pool. One dangling his feet in the water, the other grinning at the camera with a water gun in his hand. The first boy had soaking dirty blond hair and orange floaties wrapped around his arms. He was staring at the blue waves below him, chubby fingers pressed against the white pool deck nervously. The other boy looked absolutely drenched, dripping from head to toe. He was smiling at the camera, looking prepared to push the other boy into the clear water.

In fact, he did push the other boy into the water.

And sprayed him with the water gun afterward.

Sapnap smiled softly, chuckling as he tucked the photo back into the leatherbound book. He remembered that day. Dream had been teaching him to swim. He hadn't had a pool growing up, and Dream had offered to help him learn. His mom had extra floaties belonging to his friend's younger siblings. Despite the fact that he was absolutely terrible at swimming (and still wasn't as good as Dream), his friend was patient with him.

He remembered exactly how cold the water was, despite the blistering heat. How tight the floaties were around his arms. How sweet the iced tea was. The smell of chlorine lingering despite the warm showers they took at the end of the day.

He took the book off the shelf, laying it out on the bed. A lot of the photos weren't glued in' they seemed as though he were just simply tucked inside. In one of them, the pair was huddled inside, sipping from steaming mugs. It never snowed in Florida, but they loved the hot chocolate. Especially when it was Sapnap's mom who made it. They were at the beach in another, having a sand castle building competition which later turned into a sand ball fight, and then getting scolded by their parents (not to mention, their older siblings) for throwing sand in the first place. The next photo had the two of them perched on a boat, looking as though they had just turned twelve, each holding a fishing rod in their hands, the biggest smiles on their young faces. Another one pictured Dream's family, his arms wrapped around his sisters and brother as his parents stood behind them, looking proud as can be. The next didn't even have his friend in it. It was just a picture of Sapnap holding a sparkler, grinning like a madman. A girl in the background was holding up two fingers with a smile, barely visible by the light of the sparklers. Dream must've taken this photo. Sapnap must've been eighteen in this one.

The most recent photo pictured a pair of young men, no longer boys, standing in the gateway of an airport. Neither one was looking towards the camera this time. They were staring at their phones, a silent harmony between the two of them. Sapnap laughed at this one, recalling that Dream had spilled an iced coffee in his lap later that day, and the stain was impossible to get out.

He kept flipping through them. Sapnap couldn't believe his friend had all of these. He hadn't seen these pictures in his life.

He tucked them all away, placing the book back on the shelf. Dream had been in his life for so long that he couldn't remember a moment he wasn't. Sapnap couldn't imagine what everything would be like without his best friend. He supposed that Dream felt the same way.

He made his way to the kitchen, deciding to grab a snack before lunch. He suspected that Dream would be home soon. With really good pizza.

He sat on the couch for a bit, a college football game playing on the TV while he looked through Twitter. Out of the blue, the door to their apartment opened violently, hitting the opposite wall with a SLAM. Sapnap jerked his head up, his heart shocked by the sound. He furrowed his eyebrows, staring at the person running through the door.

"What was that for?" he asked, dropping his phone into his lap.  
"Oh sorry, I just—," Dream stumbled over his words, "I—uh—You wouldn't believe what happened."

Dream looked red from the cold, as it was the middle of December, and New York winters were very different from Florida ones. He threw off his hat and jacket and then rushed to sit down. He raised his eyebrows, suddenly more intrigued by the story rather than the delicious smelling food that rested on the kitchen counter. Sapnap took a paper plate from the counter, opened the box, and took a slice to eat. He noticed a few slices were missing. New York pizza was some of the best pizzas in the world. Of course, he couldn't really speak from experience.

He glanced up, mid-bite. His friend was pacing the room, fiddling with his phone. When he finally did sit down, he was drumming his fingers on the table as he hummed to himself. The red on his face still hadn't faded.

"So, you gonna tell me what happened?" Sapnap asked.  
"Oh right." Dream seemed to return from whatever world he was visiting. "I texted you about how I saw George in the pizza place, right?"  
"Yes."  
"Anyway, he walked up to me and was smiling. I don't know, it was weird at first, but he was being really polite. He asked me how everything was going and we started chatting."

Sapnap nodded wordlessly, his mind picturing the scenario in his head. It must have been so very awkward for the pair of them.

"Did he," he coughed into his fist, "mention his Instagram?"  
Dream shot him a look, then looked lost for a second. Sapnap probably shouldn't have interrupted, "No, he did not, despite your evil tactics. Anyway, where was I?"  
"You were talking about what you guys were talking about."  
"Right, so—"

He continued on, discussing everything in minute detail. It scared him a bit. How he remembered everything from that probably fifteen minutes conversation. From the re-enactment, Sapnap learned three things.

One: George was in town for a billiard competition at a local bar and was a professional pool player. (And much better than Dream and he could ever hope to be.)

Two: He was 23 years old, and fresh out of college. Rather, university. Sapnap was right about him coming from the UK.

Three: He wanted to meet up with them again. It was a strange concept, wanting to become friends with someone you had met in a bar the night prior. He supposed George felt the same thing he did. A weird spark. Something telling him that they were meant to meet. And we meant to know each other. Even though it was ultimately through Sapnap's drunkenness that they knew each other.

"—And we split the pizza and scheduled to play for a bit at this place called Eastside Billiards next Saturday. He said he wanted to get some extra practice in. So, you down?"  
"Hell yeah, of course I'm down." He answered, spreading his arms with a smile.  
"Perfect, I'll text him back now."

Sapnap laughed, tossing his empty paper plate into the trash can. Honestly, how did they get themselves wrapped up in situations like this? Playing with a famous pool player? Becoming friends with a professional pool player? Especially when the games they played were only a side hobby.

"You still owe me 8ball!" He shouted down the hallway.  
A soft response came from the bedroom, "I'll beat you in three rounds or less!"  
"Bet, you're paying for lunch tomorrow if I win!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey readers! How's your day going? I would love to hear some feedback from everyone how the story's going so far.  
> Wishing you all the best during this pandemic,  
> Butterly


	3. Highway

It was a freezing and a very early Saturday morning, and Sapnap had simply rolled out of bed to turn up the heater in their apartment. He shivered, rubbing his hands on his arms as he tiptoed towards the thermostat on the wall. The lights were off and the windows were closed. Keeping his eyes open seemed to be darker than blinking. He ran his hands across the wall, feeling his way towards the thermostat. He cursed softly as he tripped over the laundry basket in their room. Speaking of which, it was his turn to do the laundry this weekend. 

He punched the button a few times, turning the heat as high as it could go. Sapnap scurried back to his bedroom, not before passing Dream’s. He noticed that the door was open and glanced in. 

His friend was sitting at his computer, the brightness of the phone screen lighting up his face. He stood in the doorway for a second, curious as to what Dream was doing. 

He was tapping furiously at his phone. He definitely didn’t notice Sapnap. He coughed into his fist, and Dream jerked his head up, squinting at the doorway. 

“What on God’s good earth are you doing awake at this time?” He groaned, “It’s literally two o’clock in the morning.” 

“I could ask you the same thing.” He grumbled back. 

He shivered again, “It is literally freezing in my room. I got up to fix the thermostat.” 

“I couldn’t sleep.” He saw him shrug his shoulders, “Anxious, I guess.” 

“Oh.”

Sapnap moved over to his bed, laying down in it. He rested his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. He glanced over at Dream, who could have been staring into the void as far as he knew. By the light of the phone, he could see his glassy and tired eyes, while a sad frown pulled at his lips. Sapnap furrowed his eyebrows. 

“You good, dude?” he whispered softly. 

“Yeah I’m fine,” Dream made a shoo-ing motion, glancing back down at his phone, “Don’t worry.” 

Now he was worried. 

He sat up, “I can tell you’re lying. What’s up?” 

He tossed over his phone, the screen open to a message from only an hour ago. Sapnap covered his mouth gently, staying as silent as he could as he read the texts in his head. His brain wasn’t processing what was on the screen. He couldn't believe it. He closed the phone and put it aside, moving over a bit to make room for his best friend.

“She called afterwards and said that the whole ‘long distance’ thing wasn’t working out.” His voice was small, afraid. He didn’t make sense to his ears, “And that—“ 

He could hear a soft stutter in his voice as he choked on a sob. Sapnap felt a pit in his stomach grow heavy with pity. He had never heard Dream cry like this. He didn’t say a word, only pulling him into a tight hug. 

“She said she just didn’t find it fun anymore and found someone else. But, she called before going after them.” 

He let go, letting him rest his head on his shoulder. 

“I don’t know what I could have done. I don’t know what I did wrong. I really thought—“ 

His words were coming out splattered and messy, grumbling together in strands of sentences. 

“I don’t know what I thought anymore.” 

Dream’s voice grew emotionless. He was staring at the wall with heavy eyelids and wet cheeks. Sapnap was suddenly aware of his breathing and heartbeat. He couldn’t imagine the pain Dream was going through. He knew that he really did like her. And that a small part of him thought that they would be happy. Sapnap liked her as well. 

“I’m so tired.” he heard him mutter, “So, so tired.” 

He didn’t say anything in response, knowing the silence was already too heavy, laying on the pair of them like a weighted blanket. So he stayed quiet.

His friend stood up, and Sapnap moved over to give him room. He sat down next to him, then shifting to lay on his back. And the quiet continued. 

“Hey,” Sapnap whispered, “let’s go do something.”

“Like what?” came a croaky and hoarse voice, “It’s 2 o’clock in the morning.”

“I dunno. Anything.” he thought for a second, laying down next to his friend, “Let’s go for a drive.”

The streets of Queens, New York were a lot more different at night. There was something about it. A strange combination of suburban and urban. Skyscrapers in the distance next to two story houses. Playgrounds alongside highways. A shopping mall only a few blocks away from a family owned restaurant. The perfect mix of city and small town life. A nice shift for the two of them. 

It was quiet. Sapnap was the one driving. They were sitting in his old truck, which he meant to fix up a while ago, but it would serve their purpose for the evening. His hands rested on the wheel tensely as he looked out the window every so often, making eye contact with the neighborhood cats and the towering oak trees lining the sidewalks. He glanced at Dream who sat shotgun, passively staring out the window, his chin resting on the palm of his hands. 

He reached over, turning the knob on the midnight radio, hoping a good song would come on. He drove slower to fix the music, switching to a station playing music they both typically liked. Sure, using his phone would be _easier_ , but where was the fun in it? 

Sapnap smiled, drumming his fingers on the wheels of the car rhythmically. He kept looking over at his friend, who didn’t seem to have moved from his solemn position. He merged onto the highway, barely needing to due to the lack of cars. They weren’t going anywhere in particular. Just anywhere. 

The night was silent above them, as bright street lamps passed. Few cars passed them, and even fewer exits. At some point they came across a deer in the trees. 

He kept driving. 

A fun, upbeat tune came on, softly playing from the radio. At this, Sapnap could see Dream perk up just a bit out of the corner of his eye. He studied it for a moment, trying to figure out what song it was. 

_Forty days and forty nights_

_I waited for a girl like you to come and save my life_

They passed another exit. He nearly stopped, and made the split second decision to keep driving. The street lights slowly transitioned into the lights of a bridge. There wasn’t a single car around them. 

_All the days I waited for you_

_You know the ones who said I'd never find someone like you_

At this point, Dream was fully invested in the song, sitting up straight as he hummed along. A small smile pulled at Sapnap’s face. He joined in with a happy whistle. The pair of them giggled for a second, then continued. 

_And you were out of my league_

_All the things I believed_

They were belting the words now, rather terribly, but it was besides the point. Sapnap had never felt so free before. Before driving on a highway at 2:00 in the morning. Before staying up late enough to see the barely starry sky above them as his hands drummed on the wheel. Before hearing his best friend say, 

“It’s a good time for something reckless.” 

“What?” 

“You know that one scene from the movie we were watching a few days ago?” 

“Perks of Being a Wallflower?” He racked his brain, for the particular scene, “Yeah I think so?” 

Sapnap couldn’t say anything as Dream unbuckled his seatbelt. 

“Oh my god, what the actual hell are you doing?” He slowed the car down, intending to stop it completely. 

His friend stared at him, his eyes pleading with him, contradicting the smile on his face, “Don’t stop driving.” 

As Sapnap kept his foot on the gas pedal and stared at the road ahead, Dream managed to slip between their chairs. He was sitting in the backseat now, staring at the road trailing behind. He pulled down the window, exposing them to the cold, bitter air. Sapnap found himself shivering.

“You’re a fucking idiot, you know that right?” He shouted. As expected, he didn’t get a response. 

He tried to focus on the road ahead, but it was a bit hard with Dream seeming to attempt to get them both killed. He glanced behind him every so often. At some point he could barely see his friend, if not for his bright green hoodie. 

He seemed to be sitting down in the back, clutching his knees to his chest as he stared up at the sky. Sapnap turned his eyes back to the road, coming to the realization that he could look through the rearview mirror. 

They were approaching a tunnel on the highway. The lights became brighter and brighter, fading out the soft shine of the moon and stars. The view of trees quickly turned into concrete. 

Sapnap looked at the rearview mirror again, now realizing that his friend was now _standing_ on the truck bed. He was careful to drive slowly, as to not hit a bump in the road that could knock him off the truck. 

_He’s going to get us killed,_ he thought, _I’m going to have to pay so many hospital bills. I’m going to get arrested. Dream, my last thought is going to be that you’re an absolute fucking idiot and you’re the reason my truck’s been totaled._

He could tell that Dream faced the road behind them as he continued to drive. The tunnel lights rapidly flashed as the truck moved through, seeming to blend altogether in lines of yellow light. His foot rested in the gas pedal while focusing intensely on the road ahead. The music from the radio continued to play. 

_You were out of my league_

_Got my heartbeat racing_

He rolled down the windows. Sapnap took a deep breath, taking in the open air of the highway. It whooshed past his face, tousling his hair. The cold air against his warm skin calmed him, making him feel so _free_. He couldn’t imagine what this air would be feeling to Dream right now. 

_If I die, don't wake me_

The exit of the tunnel was rapidly approaching. His eyes searched the end for the seeming sky scraping trees and the moon above them. He drummed his hands on the wheel, continuing to belt out the words to the song. 

_'Cause you are more than just a dream_

He heard the back window pop open, and he turned to see Dream’s blond head crawl into the backseat once more. He closed the window, then moved to the front, maneuvering through the seats legs-first to creep back into shotgun. Sapnap glanced over at him for a bit. 

_More than just a dream_

_More than just a dream_

His eyes were dark in the lack of light, but he could see the green brightness in them that came from happiness. 

_More than just a dream_

He could see the tears running down his face, which he didn’t even try to wipe away or hide. He was smiling, the grin reaching both his ears. The smile reached his eyes. 

_More than just a dream_


End file.
